Belt-clasp.



, W. E. ROUN S-EVILLE.

BELT cLAsP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, I917.

1,237,389. Patented Aug. 21,1917.

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UNITED STATES Parana WILLIAM E. ROUNSEVILLE, OF ATTLEBQRO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR T0 0.

MARSH AND COMPANY, OF A'ITLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, A-FIBM.

nasasso.

BELT-crass.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pantgnted Aug. 21, 19179 Application filed March 22, 1917. serial No. 156,522.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. Rounsn- VILLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Belt-Clasps, of which the following is a specification.'

My inventionrelates to clasps adapted for automatic engagement with belts.

The essential objects of this invention are to provide a guiding and protecting means intermediate the clasp and the clothing of the wearer; to provide a means engageable with the trousers loop for preventing an upward, movement of the clasp and belt relatively to the trousers; and to attain these objects in a construction facile to form, in

expensive to construct, possessing a maximum of strength, and comprising a 1mmmum of parts.

To the above ends essentially my inven tion consists in such parts and combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification Figures 1, 2, and 3 are front, plan, and

rear elevations respectively of my novel clasp engaged with a portion of a belt,

Fig. 4, a section of the same on line k of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5, a section on line 55 of Fig. 3 showing in elevation an'attached portion of the clothing of the wearer.

Like reference characters indicate like I to such a position as that shown in broken rectangular in outline, and preferably formed from comparatively thin metal.

Extending along its top andbottom margins are rearwardly directed walls 7 pro-- vided with inturned oppositely disposed flanges 8 spaced from the face plate equidistant at all points and concavo-convex in contour. In the present instance, the flanges 8 are of greater breadth nearer one end of the buckle than at the other forming inclined edges 9. At one end of the flanges, in alinement with each other, are sleeves or bearings 10, integral with or soldered to the flanges in which is pivotally mounted a pintle 11. A clamping bar 13 has integral hinge sleeves 14 fast to the pintle spaced from each other. An attaching loop 16 integral with the clamping bar or tongue 13 is end of the belt 18. The other end portion 20 of the belt passes slidably intermediate the face plate 6 and flanges 8 of the buckle. The tension upon the loop 17 operates the clamping member '13 through its pivotal mounting in such a manner as to pinch the disposed at an angle to the latter, and is engaged by the flexible loop 17 upon one portion 20 of the belt against the face plate near one end in a manner familiar with --instance is nonsoldered or integral with the side walls 7 of the clasp enabling formation from a bent up metal blank, and. presenting no irregularities that could abrade the adjacent clothing. a f

The further construction of my novel device comprises a preferably concavo-convex flat arm 22 corresponding with the contour of the clasp .body.- The arm, has an end loop or eye 23 frictionally engaging the pintle 11 intermediate the'sleeves 14 and pivotally movable on the spindle. 'The parts 13 and 16 have rectangular cavities 24: and 25 respectively adjacent the eye 23 to permit free radial movement of the arm 22. The arm is free to swing from a position intermediate the face plate and the flanges 8 isential because these loops are necessarily of very small dimensions to fulfil the requirements of the wearer. To facilitate initial insertion, the arm 22 is originally swung to a position approximately like that shown in broken lines in Fig. 4:, and the clasp body is then manually moved horizontally until the member 22 has passed into the loop, whereupon the pressure of the belt against the body of the wearer presses the arm back. Because the space between the flanges 8 is unbroken by any crom bar or otherwise the loop is pressed snugly against the belt thus minimlzmg the space between the clasp and the wearers body. A further feature of operation is that the arm 22 afte'rthe belt is tightened is forced toward the face plate such a distance that it either approaches or intersects the plane of the flanges 8 and thus brings the outer wall. of the loop beyond the plane of the inner faces of the flanges 8 so that it is clamped against upward movement by the coiSpera-- tion of the tongue with one or both edges '9 of the flanges or lips 8. The inclination of the edges 9 which tend to converge near the end of the arm serves to prevent the accidental escape of the loop from' the end of the arm. The major space between the member, wa

flanges adjacent the base of the arm admits the loop to its normal position.

The use of this structure avoids move ment of the belt without requiring a but- -ton or other auxiliary means because it utilizes aloop commonly present on trousers. v

The combination of'parts is such that the advantages of a clasp are attained without .the disadvantages incident to buckles.

I claim 1. In a belt clasp, the combination with the face plate, having a bell-end aflixing member, of walls upon the top and bottom of the plate, inwardly directed o positely disposed flanges upon the walls, an a clamp member pivotally mounted upon the flanges near one end of the plate to bind the other end of the belt. I

2. In a belt clasp, the combination with the face plate, of walls upon the top and ;ing.member ivotally mounted upon the flanges to bin the other end of the belt.

4. Ina belt clasp, the combination of a face plate, walls upon the top and bottom of the plate, inturned flan es upon the walls,

verging toward one end of the plate, a

clamping member pivotally mounted on the flanges near the other end of the plate, and an arm upon the pintle movable between said edges. 6. In a belt clasp, the combination with the face plate, of marginal walls upon the 1plate, flanges on the walls, a clamping memer on the flanges, and pivotal means carried by the flanges for pressing a trouser loop between the flanges.

7. In a belt clasp, the combination of a face plate, walls upon thetop and bottom of the plate, inturned flanges upon the walls, a pintle mounted on the flanges, a clamping member fixed to the pintle and provided with a recess, and an arm upon the pintle within the recess.

8. In a belt clasp, the combination of a faceplate, walls upon the top and bottom of the plate, inturned flanges-integral with the walls, a pintle journale'd in the flanges, a clamping member fast upon the pintle provided with a recess, and an arm pivotally mounted upon the pintle within the recess.

9. In a belt clasp, the combination of a face plate, walls upon the top and bottom of the plate, inturned flanges upon the walls, a pintle journaled upon the flanges, a clamping member comprising a plate, a loop integral with the plate disposed at an angle to the plate, spaced sleeves upon the plate embracing the pintle, and an arm upon the pintle intermediate the sleeves.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

WILLIAM E. BOUNSEVILLE.

copies of this patent my be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

